Fall River City Council enthusiastic over plans for two school properties

Two bids for century-old vacant schools, both very low, both by experienced parties with deep city ties and demonstrated commitments gained unanimous support by the City Council’s Real Estate Committee Thursday night. One will be preserved. The other won't. If the full council agrees later th...

Two bids for century-old vacant schools, both very low, both by experienced parties with deep city ties and demonstrated commitments gained unanimous support by the City Council’s Real Estate Committee Thursday night. One will be preserved. The other won't.

If the full council agrees later this month, the 1893 Coughlin Elementary School at 40 Clarkson St., would become “The Coughlin School for Peace,” a non-traditional school geared toward music, art, science, community participation and veterans.

The 1897 Brayton Avenue School at 425 Brayton Ave. would be torn down and the property converted to six single-family homes if a zoning variance can be obtained, or four duplexes totaling eight units if the variance is denied.

They would be the first two of 15 available school properties sold. Five went out for bid proposals two weeks ago with limited interest shown.

The council plans to meet with real estate professionals and developers Sept. 20 to decide how the other 13 properties would be handled.

In 19 years since establishing the company, he was involved in roughly 75 transactions ranging from single-family homes to 11-unit residential buildings, a four-story commercial building at 209 Bedford St. and most notably preserving the historic Eagle building on North Main Street.

Donovan, who did not attend the council committee meeting, plans to begin work this spring and complete the homes within three years.

Members cited his proven track record, reported neighborhood support in a residential area and that the city termed the school building’s condition as “poor” last year.

The committee spent considerably more time speaking with applicants, both city residents, for The Coughlin School for Peace. They’re master craftsman Bert Harlow, whose Renaissance Woodworking Inc. at nearby 80 Lafayette St. would purchase the property and create a non-profit school, and Peter Belanger, a licensed contractor working in Boston property management.

Both have played lead roles in the widespread success of the Narrows Center for the Arts, including conversion to its current mill home on Agawam Street.

Their aim is to make repairs restoring plumbing and heat to “minimum operational status’ this winter. Meanwhile they will formalize a restoration plan with cost estimates, set up a board of trustees and non-profit, apply for permitting, identify resources and “put out a call for creators.”

Harlow said the school, listed on the National Historic Register, is primarily unchanged from its 118-year-old construction. The city lists it in “fair” condition.

This spring they would restore the roof first and begin programming activities on a limited basis. Their goal is full occupancy and activities within five years, at a cost they estimate at “over $500,000.”

Their bid needs to remain at the $1.90 submitted. Harlow, a Vietnam Marine combat veteran, said they wanted to offer $9.11 as a symbolic gesture to veterans near the 9/11 anniversary.

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City Councilor Eric Poulin called it “a plus’ to preserve Coughlin rather than tear it down, while emphasizing the track record Harlow and Belanger demonstrated at the Narrows and elsewhere. “It means you can probably deliver on this,” he said.

“I don’t really look at this as a risk at all,” Councilor Brad Kilby said. “I’m excited to support this, and I will.”

Some discussion centered on whether a “reverter clause” is necessary if the applicants can’t fulfill their mission or look to sell the property for a large profit.

One down side of that condition is it can hinder project financing, Corporation Counsel Steven Torres said.

Options like annual/bi-annual status updates or giving the city a right-of-first- refusal buy were discussed.